Combined spanner and ratchet wrench



Oct. 31, 1967 s. NLNORDGREN 3,349,654

I I COMBINED SPANNER AND RATCHET WRENCH Filed Sept. 29, 1965 3 SheetsSheet 1 Fig 1 Oct. 31, 1967 s. N. NORDGREN 3,349,654

COMBINED SPANNER AND RATCHET WRENCH Filed Sept. 29, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet2 s. N. NORDGREN 3,349,654.

COMBINED SPANNER AND RATCHET WRENCH Oct. 31 1967 Filed Sept, 29, 1965 3Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 7

United States Patent 3,349,654 COMBINED SPANNER AND RATCHET WRENCH SimonNils Nordgren, 14 Centralvagen, Rimbo, Sweden Filed Sept. 29, 1965, Ser.No. 491,264 Claims priority, application Sweden, Feb. 3, 1965, 1,400/ 657 Claims. (Cl. 81-126) The present invention relates to a combinedspanner and ratchet wrench. The setting of the desired spanner openingin such spanners is carried out in the same manner as in conventionalspanners, i.e. the jaws are first set apart so much as to allow therespective nut or screw head to be introduced between the jaws, afterwhich the jaws are brought together by means of the worm, until theybear on the side faces of the nut or screw head.

It has in this case proved to require a certain degree of attention todecide when the right distance between the jaws is reached. This is dueto the fact that, when the jaws come into contact with the nut or screwhead, further turning of the worm may be possible. Further turning ofthe worm is made possible by the fact that the handle is pivoted to thespanner head and can turn in relation to the spanner head. The turningof the worm is stopped only after the said turning action has reachedits limit. However, this means, firstly, that the spanner handle hastaken a false working position in relation to the spanner head, and,secondly, that the so-called blocking function of the spanner is totallyjeopardized. In order to prevent the occurrence of such conditions, thespanner may be provided with a locking device between the handle and thehead, so that these two, during the moment of setting the jaws, may befixed in their normal mutual working position. However, this means thata supplementary operation is introduced with respect to the setting ofthe desirable spanner opening, which should, of course, be avoided ifpossible. Even if such a locking device is made spring loaded, itinvolves a supplementary operation to release the locking device if itis desirable to utilize the blocking function.

The present invention has for its object to eliminate the abovedrawbacks substantially by making the spanner in accordance with theinvention. By a suitable embodiment of the cooperating contact surfacesof the spacer and the ratchet member, it is possible to achieve acondition in which the ratchet member remains in its blocking positioneven when trying to continue the turning of the worm after the jaws havebeen brought to bear on the nut or the screw head.

'In particular, the contact surface of the spacer may be made in such amanner that it forms a ridge extending longitudinally in parallel withthe pivot axis of the handle and that the ratchet member has a recesscorresponding to the said ridge. The ridge should then be disposed, atleast partly, within a circle face defined by the core or minor diameterof the worm, and preferably be eccentric with respect to the center ofthe worm as well as being displaced in the direction of the pivot axisof the spanner handle. The contact surface of the spacer facing theratchet member is preferably made convex with a substantially V-shapedprofile with the ridge disposed at the apex of the angle thus formed.The said angle should be of the magnitude of 90 to 180 and its bisectorplane should intersect the central axis of the worm at a point locatedon the same side of the spacer as the worm.

Alternatively the contact surfaces may, at least partly, have acylindrical shape with an axis center at least approximately coincidingwith the pivot center of the spanner handle.

The spacer is preferably provided with two contact surfaces cooperatingeach with one of the legs of the fork-lik 3,341,654 Patented Oct. 31,1967 ratchet member, while the portion of the spacer between the saidsurfaces consists of a disc or plate having substantially parallel flatfaces. The contact surfaces may in this case be inclined in such amanner that the legs of the fork-like ratchet member have a tendency toapproach each other under the action of the contact surfaces of thespacer.

The invention provides for a reliable self-locking means between thehandle and the spanner head so that when the displace-able jaw is in itsfixed position, it will not be possible to bring the ratchet member outof its blocking position by turning the worm.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference tothe accompanying drawing showing an embodiment of the invention by wayof example.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation diagrammatically illustrating a combinedspanner and ratchet wrench according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same device;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the spanner head and adjacent portions of thespanner handle on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a section along line IVIV of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a detail of the spacer in a side and an end view,respectively, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modification.

The spanner and ratchet wrench as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises aspanner head 1, carrying the stationary jaw 2, and a handle 3-, which bymeans of a pivot 4, the axis of which is perpendicular to the main orpivot plane, is pivoted to the spanner head 1. The movable jaw 5 of thespanner is in a conventional manner provided with a rack 6 anddisplaceable by means of the latter and a warm 7 cooperating with thesame. The worm 7 is, in turn, displaceably arranged in an aperture 8 inthe spanner head 1 and mounted on a spindle 9 screwed into the spannerhead (FIG. 3).

The front end of the handle 3, which is connected to the spanner head 1,is fork-like and forms a track, into which a tongue 10 of the spannerhead 1 projects, thus providing good guidance between the handle 3 andthe spanner head 1. The legs of the fork-like handle end form a ratchetmember comprising two fingers or projections 11 which act, by way of awasher-like spacer 12, On the worm 7 and displace it from the one lowerlimit to the other top limit, when the handle 3 is pivoted with respectto the spanner head 1 about the pivot 4 in the direction indicated byarrow A in FIG. 1. The projections 11 fix the worm 7 in its upperposition as shown in FIG. 1, and thus also fix the movable jaw 5 in itsworking position.

A spring 14 is provided in an aperture 13 (FIG. 3) of the centrallyprojecting tongue 10 of the spanner head 1.

The spring 14 is inserted between the tongue 10 and the legs of thehandle 5 in such a manner that it tends to bring the ratchet member intoits blocking position, i.e. the position shown in FIG. 1. The handle 3and the spanner head 1 may be provided with special stop faces which,with the parts in their working positions, bear on each other and inthis way fix the handle 3 and the spanner head 1 in their mutualposition. Such stop faces may, for example, be arranged along theseparating line 15 between the handle 3 and the spanner head 1 or theseparating line 16 between the tongue 10 of the spanner head 1 and thebottom of the track between the two legs of the handle 3. In this case,between the upper end of the worm 7 and the aperture 8 in the spannerhead 1, in

which the worm 7 is provided, there should preferably be a springtending-to push the worm 7 downward to eliminate any possible axial playof the worm 7 when the ratchet member takes its blocking position. Thesaid spring may optionally also be arranged to have a certain brakingeffect on the worm 7 when rotated. Alternatively, the said spring may beomitted. However, it may then be of advantage instead to let the stopfaces be identical with the upper end faces of the worm 7 and theadjacent face of the aperture 8 for the worm in the spanner head 1.

According to the invention, the cooperating contact surfaces of thespacer 12 and the ratchet member are made in such a manner that the lineof action of the force resultant which is active between the faces inthe blocking position (FIGURE 1) passes through or so close to thepivoting center of the handle 3 that no torque, or in any case only aninsignificant torque, acts on the handle 3 with respect to its pivotpoint 4 when setting the spanner opening by turning the worm 7. In theembodiment illustrated in the drawing, it will be seen more clearly inFIG. 3 how the contact surfaces may be developed. According to FIG. 3the handle 3 is assumed to pivot about the pivot 4 in the direction ofarrow B and the spanner opening to open so that the jaws 2 and 5 passover the corners of a nut or a screw head 17 (FIG. 3) placed in thespanner opening. In a certain position, the free-going position, thespanner can rotate freely about the nut or screw head 17 withoutclamping the same. The worm 7 is then in its lower end position, whichis made possible by the ratchet member projections 11 being pushed asideso much when pivoting the handle that it will not prevent the worm 7from being displaced to its lower limit.

The two contact surfaces of the spacer 12 facing the projections 11 ofthe ratchet member are provided each with a ridge 18 (FIGS. 5, 6). Eachridge extends longitudinally in parallel with the pivot axis 4 of thehandle. The projections 11 have each a recess 19 cooperating with theridge 18. The ridges 18 and the recesses 19 are displaced slightlylaterally in relation to the central axis of the worm 7 towards thepivot 4, but only an amount so that they are at least partly positionedwithin the cylinder face 20 defined by the core or minor diameter of theworm 7, the core in effect overlapping a portion of each ridge. Thecontact surfaces are of such a shape that the spacer 12, as seen fromthe side, has a convex, substantially V-shaped profile, the angle a(FIG. 5) thus formed being of the magnitude of 90 to 180. The angles band (FIG. may be mutually of the same size. The angle b may, however,optionally be slightly greater than angle 0, so that the bisector planeof angle a intersects the central axis of the worm 7 at a point locatedon the same side of the spacer 12 as the worm 7. The portion 12a (FIG.5) of the contact surface of the spacer has an inclination whichfacilitates the cooperation between the same and the extreme part of thefinger 11 when the set screw 7 and the spacer 12 are in their lowermostpositions and are brought into the position shown in FIG. 1 by thefinger 11. The part 12b (FIG. 5) has an inclination such that a goodwedging or blocking effect is obtained between the same and thecorresponding contact surface of the finger 11 in the blocking positionas shown in FIG. 1, thereby securing a specially firm grip about the nutor screw head.

The part faces 12a and 12b are, as will be seen by FIGS. 5 and 6, madeas substantially plane faces, which may be of advantage from amanufacturing point of view. Other shapes of the said faces may,however, be considered. For instance, the face 12b may be cylindricalwith its center positioned in the pivot center 4, (see FIG. 7) or atleast adjacent to the same and preferably between the central line ofthe worm 7 and the said center 4.

Since either of the bearing faces may have the one shape or any othershape, the spacer 12, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, may be provided with aportion 21 between the bearing faces, the portion 21 being a disc or thelike, at least substantially parallel in plane. The portion 21 shouldnot be wider than the distance between the fingers 11 of the ratchetmember, as is illustrated in FIG. 4. The portion 21 may thus, in theposition shown in FIG. 1, project between the fingers 11 and prevent thespacer 12 from turning about the worm 7. In order to prevent suchrotation when the ratchet member 11 is brought out of engagement withthe spacer 12, the spacer 12 is provided with special projections 22cooperating with the central tongue 10 of the spanner head 1.

As shown with dash-dot-line in FIG. 6, the contact surfaces mayalternately be made with such an inclination that by the pressurebetween the fingers 11 and the spacer 12 the fingers are under theinfluence of a force directed inwards opposing or preventing theirbringing apart during the operational phase, i.e. when the spanner isturned in the direction of arrow A. The worm 7 and the spacer 12 may, asshown in FIG. 3, be arranged to be under the influence of a spring 23tending to return the said means to their upper limits, as shown in thefigure.

The set screw 7 and the spacer 12 may be made interconnected to form aunit, for example, in the manner as shown and described in my copendingapplication Ser. No. 467,940 and be provided with braking means, whichmay also, for example, be of the kind described in said copendingapplication and by which any involuntary turning of the worm isprevented.

The spanner or ratchet wrench described hereinbefore and illustrated inthe drawings may be modified as to its various means and details in oneor several respects within the scope of the invention. The inventionshall thus be regarded as including every other shape of the contactsurfaces of the spacer and/or the ratchet member which is practicallyworkable and totally or at least approximately prevents or makesimpossible any turning of the handle about its pivoting center byturning the worm. Even a more or less concave shape of the contactsurface of the spacer 12 and/ or a corresponding convex shape of thecontact surface of the ratchet member 11 may thus under thesecircumstances be embraced by the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined spanner and ratchet wrench comprising a spanner headhaving a stationary jaw and a movable jaw, a handle pivotally mounted tosaid spanner head for movement about a pivotal axis, means for adjustingthe movable jaw relative to said stationary jaw to set the spanneropening including a rack on the movable jaw, and a screw means engagingsaid rack, the axis of said screw means being located to one side ofsaid pivotal axis of said handle, means mounting said screw means foraxial displacement, means for locking said screw means in a workingposition thereof including a member connected to said handle formovement therewith and a spacer positioned in contacting relationbetween said member and said screw means when said handle is in aposition to lock said spacer and said screw means and means fixing saidspacer against rotation about the axis of the screw means, said spacerand said member having cooperating contact surfaces so shaped that insaid locking position the effective line of the force resultant which isactive between said cooperating contact surfaces passes sufficientlyclose to the said pivotal axis of said handle so that, at most, only aninsignificant amount of torque may act on said handle to pivot the sameabout its pivotal axis when the spanner opening is bemg set by turningthe screw means, said cooperating contact surface of said spacer forminga ridge extending transversely substantially in parallel with thepivotal axis of said handle, and said member having a recesscorresponding in shape to said ridge.

2. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said ridge is disposed ineccentric relation with respect to the center axis of said screw meansin the direction toward the pivotal axis of said handle, and is locatedso that the cylinder defined by the core of the screw means is inoverlapping relationship with at least a portion of said ridge.

3. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein the contact surface of saidportion of said spacer facing said member has a convex, substantiallyV-shaped profile with said ridge disposed at the angular apex thereof,the included angle of said apex being between 90 and 180.

4. A wrench according to claim 3 wherein the bisector plane of saidangle of the V-shaped contact surface intersects the center line of saidscrew means at a point located on the same side of said spacer as saidscrew means.

5. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein the contact surfaces are atleast partly of a circular cylindrical shape, the axial center at leastapproximately coinciding with the pivot of said handle.

6. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said member has a fork-likeshape comprising a pair of legs, said spacer has two contact surfacescooperating with the legs of said member and a central portion betweensaid forklike legs having a pair of parallel walls projecting betweensaid legs to prevent turning of said spacer.

7. A combined spanner and ratchet wrench comprising a spanner headhaving a stationary jaw and a movable jaw, a handle pivotally mounted tosaid spanner head for movement about a pivot, means for adjusting themovable jaw relative to said stationary jaw to set the spanner openingincluding a rack on the movable jaw, and a screw means engaging saidrack to effect movement thereof, the axis of said screw means beinglocated to one side of said pivot of said handle, means mounting saidscrew means for axial displacement, means for locking said screw meansin a working position thereof including a member connected to saidhandle for movement therewith and a spacer positioned in contactingrelation between said member and said screw means when said handle is ina position wherein said member blocks movement of said spacer and saidscrew means, and means fixing said spacer against rotation about theaxis of the screw means, the contact surface of said spacer facing saidmember and the cooperating contact surface of said member conforming toeach other, said contact surfaces defining a ridge extending parallel tothe pivot of said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,490,903 4/1924 Anderson 81-165X 2,232,259 2/1941 Morgan 81-105 X 2,765,690 10/1956 Mayer 81-1272,970,502 2/1961 Nordgren 81-165 X WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. M.S. MEHR, Examiner.

1. A COMBINED SPANNER AND RATCHET WRENCH COMPRISING A SPANNER HEADHAVING A STATIONARY JAW AND A MOVABLE JAW, A HANDLE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TOSAID SPANNER HEAD FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A PIVOTAL AXIS, MEANS FOR ADJUSTINGTHE MOVABLE JAW RELATIVE TO SAID STATIONARY JAW TO SET THE SPANNEROPENING INCLUDING A RACK ON THE MOVABLE JAW, AND A SCREW MEANS ENGAGINGSAID RACK, THE AXIS OF SAID SCREW MEANS BEING LOCATED TO ONE SIDE OFSAID PIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID HANDLE, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SCREW MEANS FORAXIAL DISPLACEMENT, MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID SCREW MEANS IN A WORKINGPOSITION THEREOF INCLUDING A MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID HANDLE FORMOVEMENT THEREWITH AND A SPACER POSITIONED IN CONTACTING RELATIONBETWEEN SAID MEMBER AND SAID SCREW MEANS WHEN SAID HANDLE IS IN APOSITION TO LOCK SAID SPACER AND SAID SCREW MEANS AND MEANS FIXING SAIDSPACER AGAINST ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE SCREW MEANS, SAID SPACERAND SAID MEMBER HAVING COOPERATING CONTACT SURFACES SO SHAPED THAT INSAID LOCKING POSITON THE EFFECTIVE LINE OF THE FORCE RESULTANT WHICH ISACTIVE BETWEEN SAID COOPERATING CONTACT SURFACES PASSES SUFFICIENTLYCLOSE TO THE SAID PIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID HANDLE SO THAT, AT MOST, ONLY ANINSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TORQUE MAY ACT ON SAID HANDLE TO PIVOT THE SAMEABOUT ITS PIVOTAL AXIS WHEN THE SPANNER OPENING IS BEING SET BY TURNINGTHE SCREW MEANS, SAID COOPERATING CONTACT SURFACE OF SAID SPACER FORMINGA RIDGE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY SUBSTANTIALLY IN PARALLEL WITH THEPIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID HANDLE, AND SAID MEMBER HAVING A RECESSCORRESPONDING IN SHAPE TO SAID RIDGE.